Improvement in hydrants



c. L. STACY.

lmprovement in Hydrants; No. 131,191. Patented Sep.10,1872.

; I I I I I I I I I 7 I ATTES'T T'NVENTOR.

UNITED STATES PATENT OrrIcE.

CHARLES L. STACY, OF CINCINNATI, OHIO.

IMPROVEMENT IN HVDRANTS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 131,191, datedSeptember 10, 1872; antcdaied September 2,

SPECIFICATION. Be it known that I, OHARLEs L. STACY, of Cincinnati,Hamilton county, in the State of Ohio, have invented a new and usefulImprovement in Valves for Nonasting Hydrants, of which the following isa specification:

N atwe and Objects of the Invention.

The said invention relates to the class known as non-wastingvalve-hydrants; and consists in a peculiar arrangement of theleather-cup packings, with reference to the supply-apertures, theexit-passage, and the provision made for the super-waste water.

The object of my improvement is to produce a perfectly air and watertight compartment or chamber for the reception of all the waste watercontained in the discharge-pipe, while at the same time provision ismade for the accidental leakage which may occur in consequence of thecup-leather packings fitting loosely within the chamber of the valvethrough want of use or such temporary shrinkage of the cups as mightresult to stock remaining unsold for a time, which shrinkage is soonobviated after the valve is attached to the supply-main throughabsorption of water in the pores of the leather.

Another object sought for in my invention is to doaway with thenecessity of a seat in the valve to stop the flow of water, and whollyprevent concussion or water hammer in the act of closing, while yetprovision is made for any wear of the parts, and all undue frictioniseflectually overcome. The peculiar con-' struction and arrangement ofthe packing in my valve also completely overcome the tendencyof thewater pressure to move the plunger from its position as placed when thesame is closed or open, the plunger with its cup and leath er-packin gsbeing perfectly balanced within the chamber at all times withoutreference to the degree of pressure in the supplymain.

Description of the Drawing.

Figure 1 is a vertical section of the plunger and of the chamber inwhich it works, showing the hydrant open. Fig. 2 is a vertical sectionof the chamber with the plunger in elevation, showing the hydrantclosed.

O is the chamber or cylinder of metal with flaring mouth to readilyreceive the plunger as it is beinginserted. Sis the hollow plunger withbroad flan ge f f to protect the cup leather, said plunger being tappedout at its upper end to receive the discharge-pipe and open at thebottom end to communicate with the exhaust-reservoir in the bottom ofchamber (J. T and T are spools which operate the three cup-leatherpackings at the proper distances, and are provided with flanges f f f toboth clamp and protect the cups, the whole being slipped over the stemof the plunger S and confined in place by the jam-nut N, which also actsas a support to the lower cup, and is adapted to the screw-threaded endof the plunger S. L L L are three leather packin gs, cup-shaped, thelower two being so placed in relation to each other and thesupply-apertures that at whatever position they may be left, the forceof water pressure is exerted against and within each cup so as todistcnd them against the sides of the chamber 0 in such a manner thatthe plunger is perfectly balanced and remains stationary wherever leftby the actuating lever at the top of the hydrant while the valve remainsclosed. V is the exhaust-reservoir provided to receive the waste waterwhich may remain in the discharge-pipes after the flow is stopped andthe plunger raised. W is an auxiliary waste-way provided to run 0% anytemporary or accidental leakage which may occur, caused by undue drynessor shrinkage of the leather cups. 1? is a screw-threaded shank cast onthe bottom of the cylinder 0 to be adapted to the bottom plate of thehydrant-stock in the usual manner. 0 is the primary supply-pipe. a a area series of small holes drilled around the circumference of the chamberor cylinder 0,

the whole being inclosed within a circumferential hollow jacket, J, bywhich the said apertures are made to communicate with the supply-main 0,thus permitting the water to flow into the chamber and thence into thedischarge-pipe. It R are narrow longitudinal slots cut in the sides ofthe spool T and pipe S for the escape of water into said pipe.

Operation. When it is desired to open the valve, the

plunger S is depressed by means of the actuating lever (not shown) untilthe middle cuppacking passes just below the openings act, when the waterat once begins to flow into the discharge-pipe S through the opening atIt It, while at the same time all the waste water which remained in thechamber at V is forced up and out through the opening at the bottom ofdischarge-pipe S. In the act of closing the valve, the plunger S israised until the lower edge of the middle cup-packing just passes abovethe openings at a, when the flow of water at once ceases, and theelevation of the plunger being continued, a vacuum is formed in thelower part of the chamber at V, and all the water remaining in thedischarge-pipe rushes down and occupies the space formed by thewithdrawal of the plunger, thus completely emptying the same. When theplunger is thus lifted to its fullest extent, the lower edge of theupper cup-packing is just above the auxiliary waste-way W, which beingnow uncovered permits of the escape of any temporary or accidentalleakage which may occur in consequence of the dryness or shrinkage oftheleather packin gs. It is obvious that at whatever position the plungermay be left when closed or open the pressure of the fluid is against thecups and in opposite directions, so that no automatic displacement canpossibly occur.

The following are some of the advantages of my improved valves: Theconstruction is simple, durable, and exempt from liability toderangement. The plnngerrod with its connections can at all times bereadily withdrawn from the chamber for inspection or repairs, withoutthe necessity of removing the hydrant from the ground. The peculiarconstruction and arrangement of the packings are such that allunnecessary friction is dispensed with, and the flexibility of the cupsinsures a tight joint at all times and exemption from leakage,

as the greater the pressure brought to bear the more the cups will becrowded against the walls of the chamber. There being no seat for thevalve, no arbitrary position of the plunger is required to insure eitherthe opening or the closing of the valve after the middle cup once passesthe discharge-openings. The stoppage of the water in the act of closingthe valve being gradual, the concussion usually produced in valves ofthe ordinary construction is avoided, thusinsuring a greater durabilityof the working parts. The lower cup being placed with its convex sidedown no difficulty arises in the insertion of the plunger withinthechamber, as usually occurs when the cups are placed with the concaveside down, this latter construction rendering the same liable to bereversed, or more or less displaced by striking against the sides oredges of the chamber in the act of inserting. The arrangement of theauxiliary waste-way shown in the drawing overcomes a serious defectheretofore existing in all non-wasting hydrants, namely,

that when the flow is in some cases supposed to be stopped, a gradualfillin gup of the dischargepipe will often occur through some defect ortemporary leakage, and in freezing weather the water thus left standingin the discharge. pipe congeals and a rupture of the pipe is fre quentlythe result, but in valves of my construction, should any such leakage ashas been described happen, the water finds free vent out of thewaste-way and damage from the effects of frost is avoided. The waste-wayW is, however, not essential to the operation of the balanced plunger,but it forms a valuable auxiliary thereto.

I am aware that non-wasting valves for hydrants have been constructedwith cup-leather packings, but I know of no instance where the lower orfirst cup has been placed so as to have its convex side down for itsready entrance into the mouth of the chamber. Nor am I aware thatplungers for non-wasting hydrants have ever been constructed so as tohave the pressure of the water between the cups, always in oppositedirections, thus insuring a perfect balance of the plunger at whateverposition it may be placed. The plunger being thus balanced the exertionrequired to open or close the valve is the same in either case and muchless than in the old method, and that, too, without reference to thedegree of water pressure within the main pipe. I do not confine myselfto the precise arrangement indicated by the drawing so long as I attainthe same result by means substantially equivalent.

Claims.

I claim as new herein, and of my invention--- 1. The arrangement andcombination of the two cup-packings L L in relation to the in duction 0a so as to insure the balancing of the plunger at any point while thevalve is closed, substantially as herein set forth.

2. The arrangement and combination of the upper cup-leather packing Land the middle cup-leather L, and discharge-apertures R It, in relationto the supply-openings a a, so as to insure the balancing of the plungerat any point while the valve is open.

3. In a hydrant I further claim the auxiliary waste-way W, arranged inrelation to the cup-leathers L L to permit the escape of any surplusleakage as described.

4. The chamber or cylinder 0 constructed with a flaringmoutli to permitthe more ready insertion of the piston or cup-leather L when. the latteris arranged with its convex side downward, as described.

5. The combination of the cup-leathers L L L, supply-opening a a,circumferential jacket J, discharge-opening R R, vacuum chamber V, andauxiliary waste-way W, arranged snbstantially as and for the purposedescribed.

' CHARLES L. STACY.

W'Vitnesscsz J. F. BALDWIN, JOHN Bonn.

